Vanishing murals tour brings ‘ghosts’ to life

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The Jefferson Country Historical Society is bringing to life a walking tour of “ghost” murals around Port Townsend.

“We are super excited to be offering this new downtown walking tour this year,” said JCHS Director of Education and Public Programs Tara McCauley.

Ten different “ghost” murals – from the Owl Cigar to the Bull Durham advertisements to a couple of newer promotions sprinkled in – have been selected as destinations on the outdoor tour.

These faded relics on the walls of brick buildings around town were once vibrant advertisements of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Usually advertising a product or service, these types of murals could be seen lining the streets in many American cities. Municipal property, commercial buildings, and even the sides of barns were covered in advertisements for every product under the sun.

Port Townsend was no different and some of these colorful murals are present still today, hiding in plain sight and contributing to the distinct character of the community.

“These murals really tell the story of an incredible era in our country when there was this huge growth in manufacturing and commerce that coincided with really the beginning of what we think of as the modern advertising industry,” McCauley explained.

She described this moment in time as “a perfect storm of these really interesting phenomenon all happening at the same time.”

“There was this incredible growth in the print design world, so printed advertisements and their growth then launched this huge boom in the print design world with different fonts and typefaces and different graphic design elements,” McCauley added.

That phenomenon then coincided with Port Townsend’s boom and expansion soon after.

The murals tell both a local story and a national story that tie together in a really interesting way.

“At each mural stop, we’ll be sharing a little bit about the building that the mural is painted, on which sometimes corresponds to the mural and sometimes doesn’t,” McCauley said.

The tour will include discussions of the advertisements themselves, their aesthetics, and the period of history in which they came about.

“While we’re featuring a handful of [murals], there are certainly more and so I’d love for folks to take this tour with us and then be on the lookout.”

“If folks are visiting from out of town, I’m excited to hear about other ‘ghost’ murals that exist in other places,” she added.

The historical society is excited to share this unique piece of history with the community and visitors.

Every Saturday in July and August, the one-mile walking tour will begin at 11 a.m and will include 10 stops.

Groups are limited to 12 participants. The cost is $10 for members and $16 for non-members.

Register via Simpletix at simpletix.com/e/vanishing-murals-walking-tour-tickets-71687. Visit jchsmuseum.com for more information.